Carpet tile renewal process and products

ABSTRACT

Refurbishing and/or renewing cut or loop pile carpet products including carpet tiles by passing the product under a high pressure water or liquid dispensing head projecting a stream of water against the subject product at a pressure in the range of 100-2000 p.s.i.g. Improvements to such methods include adding a polymer backing layer to the tile, pre-bulking the face yarns, and/or chemically treating the face yarns.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS,

[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 60/211,362, filed Jun. 13, 2000, herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to the refurbishment of pilecarpet, especially carpet tiles, to provide extended wear life without adetrimental affect on the surroundings due to a reduced aesthetic effectby the existing pile carpet due to dirt and/or matting of the pile onthe face of the tile. More particularly, this invention relates to amethod and apparatus for treating the pile face and/or applying a newlayer of material to the back surface of a refurbished carpet tile tocreate a new like appearance for the back surface of the tile.

[0003] As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,592 and 5,457,845 herebyincorporated by reference, in the past it has been necessary to replacepile carpet when it became dirty, develops a change in texture in someareas and/or is matted down due to traffic and/or furniture thereon. Thereplacement of such carpet is expensive due to the price of new carpetand has to be matched to the existing environment. This replacement ofcarpet, especially carpet tiles, in commercial establishments is anexpense which, if it can be avoided, will free up money which can beused for other desirable purposes.

[0004] The above described U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,592 and 5,457,845provide a method and apparatus to refurbish cut and loop pile carpet andeliminate the cost of replacement of such tile with new carpet.

[0005] In particular, they describe a system wherein pile carpet tilesare refurbished. The invention is directed in general to pile carpet,cut or loop, but is primarily directed to carpet tiles since these areused in commercial establishments and generally receive more wear due totraffic by pedestrians thereon and therefore tend to mat and get dirtyquicker than residential carpet. The carpet tiles are usually in 18 inchsquares and have pile yarns, cut or loop, like that shown in U.S. Pat.No. 4,371,576 hereby incorporated by reference. As shown in FIG. 1, thecarpet tiles 10 are treated on cooperating conveyors 12 and 14 but,obviously, one continuous conveyor could be used, if desired.

[0006] Briefly, the system of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described with thedescription being directed to a cut pile carpet tile 10. The dirtyand/or matted carpet tile 10 is placed on the conveyor 12 where it isinitially conveyed under a source of high pressure cleaning liquid orwater, generally designated 16, whereat liquid, such as water, issupplied at a pressure within the range of 200-2000 p.s.i.g., preferably300-1200 p.s.i.g. In one example, the liquid is supplied at a pressureof about 800 p.s.i.g. from the nozzles 18 and impinges on the carpettile. It is contemplated that an elongated slot can be used rather thanthe disclosed nozzles 18 so long as the liquid pressure is maintained inthe desired range. The high pressure liquid from the jets clean the dirtfrom the surface and between the yarns 20 of the carpet tile while atthe same time removing the twist from the yarn and causing them toupright themselves. From the high pressure water source 16, the carpettiles pass under a vacuum extractor 22 to remove water therefrom. Also,located under the conveyor 12 is a water sump collector 24 to recoverthe water from the water source 16.

[0007] Since the high pressure water from the nozzle 18 removes thetwist from the yarn 20, if the yarn 20 has twist therein, or lifts andstraightens yarn which has no or very little twist therein, the surfaceof the upright yarns tends to be uneven. So the carpet tiles, afterbeing deposited on the conveyor 14 are conveyed to a shear 26, afterpassing through a dryer 28, to even out the pile height of the yarns 20.If desired, the carpet tiles 10 can be over-printed or brightened by adye machine 30 prior to being collected on a pallet 32. The dye machinecan be of any suitable type but is preferably a computer controlled jettype such as that shown and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,242 herebyincorporated by reference.

[0008] The above description is directed to a cut pile carpet butobviously the above system can be employed to clean and de-mat a looppile carpet tile. One approach, includes cutting of the loops in theloop pile product and then treating it as a cut pile carpet tile asdescribed above. Another approach is to pass the loop pile carpet tileunder the high pressure water source as described above but pivot theshear 26, as shown, upwards away from the conveyor 14 as it passesdownstream.

[0009] To properly maintain the carpet tiles in spaced relationship aplurality of slats 34 are connected to the conveyor 12 and/or 14. As thetiles 10 are conveyed under the high pressure water source a chamberedguide bar 36 mounted on both sides of the conveyor guides the carpettile into position under the water source 16 as the slats 34 pass underthe guide bars. This same arrangement can be used on the conveyor 14 asthe carpet tiles pass under the shear 26 and the dye machine 30. Theslats 34 and the guide bars 36 serve the further function of maintainingthe fibers on the edges of the tile in an upright condition as theliquid impinges thereon so that further operations downstream will treatthem as well as the other yarn in the body of the tile. This preventsthe edge fibers from being bent over and giving a ragged appearance tothe carpet tile after cleaning thereof.

[0010]FIG. 2 depicts an overall view of the apparatus to apply highpressure water to the carpet tiles, which is depicted as numeral 16,which is characterized in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. Pump 36 is usedto pump, via suitable conduits 38 and 40, a working fluid such as waterfrom a suitable source of supply 42 through an appropriate filter 44 toa high pressure supply duct 46, which in turn supplies water at suitabledynamic pressure (e.g., between 200 p.s.i.g. to 2000 p.s.i.g.) to theapparatus 16. The fluid thereby emanates from the apparatus 16 therebystriking the carpet tile 10 placed on the conveyor 12.

[0011] Looking to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the high pressure watersource 16 is comprised of three basic structures: a high pressure supplygallery assembly 48 (which is mounted in operable association with thehigh pressure supply duct 46), slotted chamber assembly 50 and clampingassembly 52.

[0012] Supply assembly 48 constitutes an “L”-shaped member, into one legof which is machined a uniform notch 56 which extends, uninterrupted,along the entire length of the apparatus 16. There is a rectangularuniform notch 58 which is in the other vertical leg of the “L”-shapedmember 54 and adjacent to the high pressure supply duct 46. A series ofuniformly spaced supply passages 60 are drilled through the rectangularuniform notch 58 and extend to the corresponding side wall of notch 56,whereby notch 56 may be supplied with high pressure water from highpressure supply duct 46, the side of which may be milled, drilled, andconnected to notch 58 which is along the side wall 62 of the assembly54. Slotted chamber assembly 50 is comprised of dual elongate “U”-shapedmembers 63, 65 having a rectangular cross-section therebetween. Theupper “U”-shaped member 63 has a series of machined closely spaced slotswhich form the nozzle 18, each having a width approximately equal to thewidth of the desired high velocity treatment stream.

[0013] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, grooved chamber assembly 50 ispositioned, via clamping assembly 52, within supply gallery 54 so thatits rectangular cross-section communicates via parallel spaced holes 60to notch 56 which thereby forms both an upper and lower high pressuredistribution reservoirs, respectively, so that fluid enters from asupply duct 46 and then into a high pressure distribution reservoirformed by notch 58. The water then travels via supply passages 60 into alower high pressure distribution reservoir formed by notch 56 and thengoes through holes 70 into an upper high pressure distribution chamber72 formed by dual elongate “U”-shaped members 63 and 65. Water thenflows through slots 18 towards the carpet tile 10. Clamping assembly 52is provided along its length with jacking screws 78 as well as bolts 80which serve to securely attach clamping assembly 52 to supply galleryassembly 48.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 4, the high pressure water source 16 isconnected to the high pressure supply gallery assembly 48 by means ofbolts 82 and 84 respectively. There are a series of bolts 86 whichconnect the lower “U”-shaped member 65 with the upper “U”-shaped member63.

[0015] The means of eliminating dirt and mats from the carpet tilesinvolves the nozzles 18. In the preferred embodiment, there are fortynozzles per inch, but this can vary. Instead of having all of the slotsparallel to each other, the nozzles between one lateral edge of themember 63 are at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the member 63.The angle deviation from the longitudinal axis of the member 63 thatprovides good results is five degrees. This angle can vary widely, withthe optimal deviation angle depending on the type of fabric utilized.

[0016] In accordance with the present invention, the pile face yarns ofused carpet tile, or other flooring, is cleaned and re-textured usingthe above described methods and apparatus. After drying in aconventional oven, a thin layer of modified acrylic material is appliedto the back surface of the refurbished carpet tile using rollapplicators, thereby creating a new appearance, a new coated product,and refurbishing the back of the used tile.

[0017] The tile is subsequently dried in an oven to remove water andcross-link the acrylic polymer. The acrylic-coating layer whencross-linked, bonds to the original tile back and is highly resistant tochemical plasticizers commonly used for PVC backed carpet tile. The newbacking layer forms a protective or blocking layer against plasticizermigration, thereby providing unique product attributes for refurbishedcarpet tile. Tiles may be re-colored using a textile dyeing or patternprocess without adversely effecting the renewed tile back.

[0018] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, two (2) top roll applicators are used to apply a thin layerof material (approximately 2.0 mm) to the back of the cleaned tile. Theapplicators are modified to use soft grooved coating rolls (40 durometershore hardness) and thereby to achieve low coating weights. Depending onthe type of carpet tile, approximately 0.50-1.0 oz of coating materialper square yards is applied to the back of the carpet tile during therenewal process.

[0019] A low temperature cross-linking agent allows the backing orcoating to dry and cross-link at 175° F., thereby avoiding damage to theunderlying PVC backing materials by overheating.

[0020] The following patents are hereby incorporated by reference:Patent No. Description Date 5,381,592 Method to Refurbish Carpet TileJan 17, 1995 5,457,845 Apparatus to Refurbish Carpet Tile Oct 17, 19954,808,191 Process for Pattern Dyeing of Textile Material Feb 28, 19894,740,214 Process for Pattern Dyeing of Textile Material Apr 26 1988

[0021] Although various methods and apparatus for cleaning andreconditioning articles with pile fibers may be used, the presentinvention is especially adapted for use with methods and apparatusdescribed in above mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,592 and 5,457,845.These methods and apparatus have been shown to be effective in removingdirt and/or matting of pile face yarns from used carpet tile. Othermethods and apparatus for cleaning and reconditioning pile articles maywork for particular articles, but they are not usually practical forrefurbishing used carpet tile, which are essentially flat articles. Incases where another device or method can be adapted for carpet tile, thetypical cleaning pressures employed are found to be too low to achievethe desired yarn re-texturing and removal of dirt and/or matting of thepile face yarns.

[0022] Notwithstanding the success of the methods and apparatus of theabove referenced patents at cleaning and refurbishing the top of thecarpet tile, such are improved by adding a method to effectively cleanand refurbish the back surface of the used tile. It is common that theback surface of used carpet tiles are dirty and often coated with layersof old installation adhesives. These materials are typically waterinsoluble and difficult to remove using conventional methods. Residualadhesives and embedded dirt or floor materials often remain on the backsurface of the tile after the prior refurbishment treatment, therebymaking refurbished carpet tile difficult and to re-install. Customersoften object to the appearance and condition of the back surface,essentially viewing the product as a used carpet. In the past,refurbished carpet tile was not acceptable to some customer for thisreason alone.

[0023] These same conditions cause difficulties in processing tilesthrough the refurbishment treatment. The conditions increase the numberof rejects and reduce the product yields, thereby making the processmore costly. In worst case situations, particular used carpet tile cannot successfully be refurbished due to the condition of the tilebacking.

[0024] It is object of this invention to provide an improved carpet tilerefurbishment process whereby after cleaning and re-texturing the pileface yarns of used carpet tile, a new layer of material is applied tothe back surface of the tile, thereby renewing the back of the usedcarpet tile.

[0025] With respect to the prior art, no apparatus or method is providedto clean or refurbish the back surface of the tile. Renewing the backsurface of the tile in accordance with the present invention providesthe benefits listed below. The unique attribute of the applied materialto resist chemical plasticizers provides product benefits and featuresfor new and/or refurbished PVC carpet. The material applied to the backof the tile is novel in that the material bonds to all materialscommonly used in carpet tile backing systems, to PVC and polypropylenebacks. Further, the material is unique in that is provides highresistance to steam and water, and is compatible with adhesives used toinstall carpet tile.

[0026] Benefits

[0027] 1. Improved aesthetics—both surfaces of the used carpet tile arerefurbished. The product is more generally acceptable to more customers.

[0028] 2. Ease of Installation—the renewed backing layer covers overresidual adhesive and embedded dirt or other material, therebyfacilitating re-installation of used tile after refurbishment.

[0029] 3. Lower rejects and improved process yields over the priorprocess.

[0030] 4. Coating material that when applied to back surface of new orused tile provides high resistance to chemical plasticizers commonlyused for PVC carpet tile. The new backing layer forms a barrier layeragainst plasticizer migration, a problem common to PVC product, that canresult in much higher expenses for carpet tile installation.

[0031] 5. Coating material that provides high resistance to steam andwater, thereby making it possible to dye refurbished carpet tile byconventional textile dyeing methods.

[0032] 6. Coating material that is compatible with commonly usedinstallation adhesives.

[0033] 7. Coating material that bonds all known commercially usedcarpet-backing materials including polypropylene and PVC backing.

[0034] 8. Coating material that is low in VOC and therefore meets orexceeds industry standards for indoor air quality for carpeting.

[0035] Other acrylic polymers and cross-linking agents may providesimilar or like results. Certain polyurethane materials may be suitablefor the backing renewal of used carpet tile, but in general tend to bemore expensive than modified acrylic polymers.

[0036] Other application devices may be used to apply the coatingmaterial. These methods include rod or engraved roll applicators, usedeither as a single applicator or as multiple applicators.

[0037] Different thickness and weights of materials may be applied tothe back surface of the tile.

[0038] The following is a preferred embodiment of the process of thepresent invention:

[0039] Backing Renewal Process Process Step Apparatus 1. Wash/Re-TextureCarpet Tile Wash Unit Apparatus 2. Dry Carpet Tile Drying Oven #1 3.Apply Base Layer To Back of Tile Top Roll Applicator #1 4. Apply TopLayer to Back of Tile Top Roll Applicator #2 5. Dry & Cross-Link PolymerDrying Oven #2 6. Cool Tile Back Cooling Zone #1 7. Dye Carpet Tile DyeMachine

[0040] Contemplated Variations & Alternatives

[0041] 1. The tile backing maybe renewed prior to washing andre-texturing

[0042] 2. The backing material may be applied with a single applicatorand dried, either before washing and re-texturing the tile, or asillustrated above, after the washing and re-texturing step.

[0043] 3. Other methods may be used to cure or otherwise cross-link thebacking polymer including UV, IR or Microwave type devices.

[0044] Apparatus—Backing Renewal Process

[0045] The overall schematic representation of the carpet tile backingrenewal process is shown in FIG. 6 and the apparatus is illustrated inFIG. 7. After washing and re-texturing, tiles are placed on a beltconveyor 1 with the pile face yarns lying down. The tile is transportedthrough the first coating applicator 2 whereby a thin layer of themodified acrylic is applied to the back surface of the tile. The tile isnext conveyed through a second applicator 3 that applies an additionallayer of material over the first coated layer. The tile is then conveyedinto a drying oven 4 wherein the coating is dried, allowing thepolymeric acrylic to cross-link and permanently bond to the old backing.

[0046] A larger scale view of the coating applicator is illustrated inFIG. 8. In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, a common belttransport 1 is used to convey tiles under two direct roll applicators, 2and 3. A mechanical adjustment 5 allows the height of applicator roll 6to be accurately set to contact the back surface of the tile. Thedistance between applicator roll 6 and a fixed conveyor roll 8 isadjustable and set to a minimum distance to allow the tile to passthrough the gap without crushing the pile yarn while maintaining contactwith the applicator roll 8. The arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0047] As illustrated in FIG. 9, a meter roll 7 precisely controls thequantity of material transferred to the applicator roll 6 therebyproviding accurate method to control the amount of coating applied tothe back surface of the tile. New material is continuously supplied intothe reservoir formed between the applicator roll 6 and metering roll 7.

[0048] Each applicator roll 6 applies a thin layer of material,approximately 0.5 mm-2.5 mm, preferably 1.0 mm-1.5 mm to the backsurface of the tile. In the optimum configuration, each applicator roll6 is covered with a soft EPDM polymer or similar material of 30 Duro-Ahardness, thereby to avoid crushing or distorting the refurbished pileyarns of the tile.

[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 10, typically each applicator roll ismachine grooved at 32 turns per inch, necessary to achieve the desiredcoating weight, nominally 40 GMS/SQ. YD for each of the two applicationsteps. The actual number and pattern for grooving the applicator rolland shore hardness may vary depending on the viscosity of coatingmaterial and other factors related to the release property of thecoating. Metering rolls 7 and the fixed conveyor or gap rolls 8 aretypically steel rolls, smooth ground, chrome plated and polished forextended roll life.

[0050] A conventional forced air oven equipped with a transport apron isused for drying and cross-linking the coated material. In the preferredembodiment of the process, the back surface of tile is heated to 175° F.for approximately 90 seconds to allow a sufficient bonding of the newbacking material layer and cross-linking of the modified acrylicmaterial.

[0051] With respect to the prior art, the back surface of used carpettile are not presently treated or renewed during the refurbishmentprocess. Notwithstanding that a variety of coating applicators arecommercially used to apply coating to textile materials, therequirements for coating the back surface of individual carpet tile arespecific and unique; and therefore commercial coating equipment andmethods have not heretofore been developed for this purpose.

[0052] The above-described apparatus of the present invention provides apractical and suitable means to apply a new surface to the back ofrefurbished carpet tile with the following benefits and advantages:

[0053] 1. The apparatus provides a means to apply a new surface to theback surface of the tile without the coating material contaminating thepile face yarns, which would otherwise cause the refurbished tile to beunusable. The method is essentially based on applying multiple layers ofhigh viscosity acrylic coating at high solids contents to avoidmigration of the coating to the pile yarns. The use of direct rollapplicator in particular provides suitable means to apply a thin layerof material to the back of the tile. The use of multiple rollapplicators, in tandem, provide a means to sequentially build up thecoated layer without contamination of the pile yarns.

[0054] 2. The apparatus provides a means to coat the back surface of thetile without crushing or distorting the pile face yarns which wouldotherwise distort or change the appearance of the product, or cause thetile to dye unlevel during the dyeing process. The apparatus and use ofsoft coating rolls provides a means to precisely apply a new coatingusing minimum contact pressures, thereby the apparatus is well suited tocarpet tile, as well as other pile textile articles.

[0055] 3. The apparatus provides a means to achieve sufficient coatingweights through the use of grooved coating rolls which increase thequantity of material applied by the applicator roll, thereby providinguniform coverage of the coating material to the back surface of thetile.

[0056] 4. The use of a common conveyor provides the benefits for easysetup and avoids defects that often occur when coated tile istransferred over multiple conveyor systems prior to drying.

ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS OR ALTERNATIVES

[0057] Notwithstanding the benefits and advantages described above, anddepending on the properties of coating material(s), the followingalternative apparatus or arrangements may be suitable for the presentbacking renewal process.

[0058] 1. Separate applicators may be used in-lieu of a tandemarrangement of applicators and common transport arrangement, or othertile transport arrangements (e.g. rolls) can be used to convey tilethrough the applicators.

[0059] 2. Various other types of applicators, such engraved steel rolls,knife over roll or rod applicators, extruders, or sprayers can be usedto apply coating materials to the back surface of the tile. The exactnumber and type of applicators, are largely dependent on thecharacteristics and nature of the materials used to coat the back tilesurface.

[0060] 3. Other methods may be used to dry and/or cross-link the coatedtile including indirect heating methods such infrared or steam heatedplates.

[0061] 4. Depending on the desired amount of coating applied to the backsurface and characteristics of the coating material, various rollhardness factor and grooving patterns may be used to achieve higher orlower coating weights.

[0062] The overall schematic for the cleaning and backing process isillustrated in FIG. 6.

[0063] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a series of directroll applicators adapted to coat carpet tile, are used to sequentiallyapply one or more, preferably several thin layers of a polymer,preferably a modified acrylic polymer to the back surface of the tile.This acrylic coating material is formulated to maintain a sufficientlyhigh viscosity (3,000-6,000 CPS) to avoid problems with coating materialthat would otherwise contact or migrate to the pile face yarns and causedefective product. Notwithstanding that viscosity measurements depend onthe rheology of the material, at a relative higher viscosity (>6,000CPS) these coatings formulations do not produce a uniform film toadequately cover over residual adhesives and other materials typicallyfound on the back surface of the carpet tile.

[0064] A second problem associated with applying a new coating materialor layer to the back surface of the tile is that the quantity and layerthickness of the new coating is strictly limited by the build up ofexcessive coating material at the tile edges. This problem, commonlyreferred to as “dub-over”, causes tiles to have an unleveled backsurface; and since a level or flat surface is required for installingcarpet tile, again the problem results in defective product. Thequantity of material that can be applied, using a single applicatorwithout excessive coating build up on the edges of the tile, is notsufficient to produce a uniform film or layer that covers over oldadhesives remaining on the back surface after the cleaning process.

[0065] The above-mentioned problems and technical challenges areillustrated in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, respectively. It is generally foundthat increasing viscosity, thereby to minimize the problem of coatingcontacting the pile face yarns (FIG. 11) causes increases the severityof the “dub-over” problem. Likewise, lowering the viscosity, therebyreducing the “dub-over” problem (FIG. 12), increases the severity of theproblem of coating contacting the pile face yarns.

[0066] As will become apparent, the objective and benefits of thepresent backing renewal process also address other problems and factorsrelated to refurbishing used carpet tile.

[0067] The above-described problems are overcome through the use of aseries of direct roll applicators to sequentially apply one-or more,preferably two thin layers (approximately 1.0 mm-1.5 mm) of coatingmaterial to the back surface of the tile. While coating material may bedried between individual application steps, in the preferred embodimentof the backing renewal process, the use of a water based materialformulated at a sufficiently high solids content (approximately 45%-55%)makes intermediate drying unnecessary, providing the obvious benefits oflower cost and energy savings.

[0068] Other benefits and advantages are less obvious, but important. Asillustrated in FIG. 13, prior attempts to apply coating materials to theback surface of carpet tiles have often resulted in distortion or damageto pile face yarn requiring additional process steps in an effort tore-bulk the pile face yarns and eliminate the distortion of the pile.

[0069] As illustrated in FIG. 14, the preferred embodiment of theinvention overcomes this problem through the use of soft coating rollsand a common belt conveyor system that transports tile under theapplicator roll. The arrangement significantly reduces the forces placedon the pile face yarns, thereby effectively eliminating crushing ordistortion of the pile face yarns.

[0070] This arrangement provides a second advantage when applyingcoatings to used carpet. As previously mentioned, it is normal andtypical that layers of residual adhesive remain on the back surface ofused tile after the cleaning process. Often, these adhesive layers haveembedded dirt, sub-flooring particles and other foreign objects whichcause voids or skips when coatings are applied using convention methodsand rolls. However, it is found that when multiple thin layers ofcoating are applied using soft applicator rolls, the applied coatingencapsulates and forms a seal around most of the foreign objects.Thereby eliminating the obvious problems creating for processing andinstallation of the refurbished carpet tile product.

[0071] In the preferred embodiment of the present backing process, twoapplicators are used in sequence to apply individual layers of coating.A drying oven equipped with a transport apron is used to dry and curethe coating materials.

[0072] One drawback to the prior refurbishing of used carpet tile wasthat no effective method or apparatus was provided to renew or otherwiserefurbish the back surface of the used carpet tile. It is one object ofthis invention to provide a method and apparatus to renew the backsurface of refurbished carpet tile.

[0073] Benefits and Advantages of the Present Process

[0074] 1. Improved aesthetics, renewing both surfaces of the used carpettile makes the end product acceptable to customers who otherwise objectto refurbished tile because of the condition of the untreated backsurface of the tile.

[0075] 2. The renewed backing layer covers over residual adhesive andembedded material that make the prior product difficult to properlyre-install and which detract from the uniform appearance of the carpetonce installed at a customer facility.

[0076] 3. Renewing the back surface of the refurbished tile makes itpractical to refurbish carpet tile that would otherwise be discarded dueto the poor condition of the tile backing. This results in fewer rejectsand improved process yields which lower the cost for refurbishment.

[0077] 4. As previously described, the present method and apparatusallow the back surface of the tile to be coated while avoiding build upon the edge of the tile or rejects due to coating materials contactingthe pile face yarns of the tile.

[0078] A second objective of the invention is to provide productattributes that relate to the performance of the back surface to resistPVC plasticizer. A common disadvantage to PVC backed carpet tile is thatchemical plasticizers used to manufacture the backing, can migrate fromthe backing material and over time interact with installation adhesivesand certain flooring materials. Time consuming and expensive floorpreparation is needed prior to installing new PVC tile. The new backinglayer applied to back surface of the tile is highly resistant to thesechemical plasticizers, thereby making it possible to avoid these addedcosts.

[0079] Additional Benefits and Advantages

[0080] 1. The new backing layer forms a barrier layer against chemicalplasticizers, thereby making it possible to avoid expensive floorpreparation prior to re-installing refurbished PVC carpet tile.

[0081] 2. The new backing layer is highly resistant to steam and water;making it possible to dye refurbished tile by conventional dyeingmethods.

[0082] 3. The new backing layer is compatible with commonly used carpettile installation adhesives.

[0083] 4. The new layer is low in VOC and meets industry standards forindoor air quality

[0084] 5. The new layer bonds to all known commercially used carpet tilebacking including polypropylene and PVC.

[0085] Additional Variations of Alternatives

[0086] 1. The back surface maybe renewed prior to the refurbishmentprocess of the front of the tile.

[0087] 2. Other methods may be used to cure or cross-link the acrylicpolymer, to include UV, IR, steam plates or Microwave devices.

[0088] 3. The acrylic polymer may be applied with a single applicator,or applied with intermediate drying between the individual applicationsteps.

[0089] 4. Other suitable applicators may be used to apply the acryliccoating material, including rod, engraved roll applicators and knifeover roll applicators, either a single applicators or used in series.

[0090] 5. Other acrylic polymers and cross-linking agents may providesimilar or like results. Certain polyurethane polymers may be suitablefor the backing renewal of used carpet tile.

[0091] 6. Different thickness and weights of material may be applied tothe back surface of the tile with similar results, largely depending onthe carpet tile construction, type of applicators and coating material.

[0092] The chemical composition and properties of the acrylic materialapplied to the back surface is described in more detail below.Information is provided describing the test procedures and evaluationresults as it relates to the product attributes of the renewed surface.

[0093] Polyvinylchloride (PVC) is a widely used plastic and commonlyused as a backing material for carpet tile products. Flexible PVC,typical for carpet tile backing, is made using a range of types andamounts of plasticizers. Plasticizers soften the normally ridged PVC,providing the desired degree of flexibility needed for making carpettile products. However, the chemicals used as plasticizers are rarelyvery soluble in PVC and tend to migrate or defuse from the host materialinto the environment with time. An important consequence is that freeplasticizer can chemically interact with sub-flooring materials such asadhesives used for flooring installation with adverse effects aftercarpet tile installation. From a cosmetic standpoint, plasticizerscommonly absorb stains and migrate back into the surface of thecarpeting along with the staining substance. The stains are visible andcan not be easily removed or cleaned, as such the PVC backed carpet tilerequires replacement.

[0094] The problem of plasticizer migration is particularly acute whenPVC backed carpet tile is installed over certain adhesives commonly usedfor VAT/VCT hard tile surfaces. Chemical interactions between freeplasticizers and the VAT/VCT adhesives may cause the PVC carpet tile tostrongly bond to the existing sub-floor. To avoid the potential forcostly and time consuming work to remove old PVC back tiles whenreplacing carpet, extensive floor preparation is needed to remove oldflooring adhesives before installing new PVC backed carpet tile.

[0095] One object of the present invention is to apply a chemicallymodified acrylic material as a coating to the back surface of a new orrefurbished carpet tile as a thin surface layer to protect the backsurface against plasticizer and additive migration. Since many carpettile backings are commonly composed essentially of plasticized PVCcompounds, therefore a further object is to provide a plasticizerresistant protective layer to prevent leakage of plasticizer or additivechemical from the PVC carpet tile body into the joining sub-flooring orflooring adhesive. A further object is to provide a carpet tile productwith a protective coating since PVC plasticizers may be viewed asenvironmentally unwanted or unsafe.

[0096] The modified coating of the present invention is crosslinked withthe result that leakage of plasticizer and additives from theplasticized substrate is substantially prevented when the tile backingis placed in contact with liquids, typically flooring adhesives, whichwould normally extract the plasticizer and/or additives. The specificmethods and apparatus are described in detail above.

[0097] The coating material that is applied on the back surface of thecarpet tile, previously described as a modified acrylic polymericcompound, is described in more detail below.

[0098] Accelerated Aging Test

[0099] The following test was used to evaluate the resistance of thepresent coating to plasticizer migration. The protocol is commonlyreferred to as an Accelerated Aging Test, and represents a method tomeasure the effects of the aging process for PVC backed carpet tile.

[0100] 1. Coated PVC backed carpet tiles are cut into 9″×9″ squares.Samples are prepared placing two (2) carpet squares back to back. Asecond set of samples is prepared placing two (2) squares back to face.A one (1) Kilogram weight is placed on top of each sample set.

[0101] 2. Each sample set is placed in a conventional laboratory ovenmaintained at 120° F. for a period of twenty-one days.

[0102] 3. The samples are removed from the oven and evaluated forevidence of staining, chemical reactions or bonding between theindividual layers that would result due to plasticizer migration.

[0103] Fastness to Steaming

[0104] Coated carpet tiles are placed in an atmospheric steam box at212° F. (saturated) for 8 minutes. The backing is inspected fordelamination of the applied coating layer. Standard ATCC wet and drycrock fastness tests are used to further evaluate the performance andsurvivability of the new-coated layer.

[0105] Exemplary Backing Renewal Process

[0106] The process and procedures apply to renewing the back surface ofused carpet tile for both cut pile and tufted loop pile carpet tile. Theoriginal backing may be composed either of PVC or Polypropylene. Thecarpet tile products may be of any size or construction, but aretypically 18″×18″ or 36″×36″ square.

[0107] 1. Tiles are loaded face up on the conveyor. Depending on productconstruction and weight, the used tiles are washed (re-textured) at400-800 psi and conveyed to vacuum extractor.

[0108] 2. Water is extracted through three (3) individual vacuumslots—residual moisture of 43% w.o.f., the re-textured tile is conveyedto a drying oven.

[0109] 3. The re-textured tile is dried to moisture content ofapproximately 8% and cooled ambient temperature. The dried tile isrotated or flipped, such that the pile yarn faces down on the conveyor.The re-textured tile is conveyed to a top roll application.

[0110] 4. A thin layer, approximately 1.0 mm thick of modified acryliccoating material is applied to the back surface of the re-textured tile.The re-textured/coated tile is immediately conveyed to a second top rollapplicator were a second layer of material is applied to the backsurface of the tile, thereby increasing the thickness of coated materialto approximately 2.00 mm with a total weight of approximately 1.0-1.5 ozper square yard. 5. The re-textured/coated tile is conveyed to a dryingoven, where drying and cross-linking of the acrylic polymer occurs. Thetile is conveyed to a cooling section; therein the temperature of thebacking is cooled to ambient temperature.

[0111] In accordance with the present invention, the recycled orrefurbished used carpet tile is substantially 100% post consumerrecycled product, except for the thin backing layer or layers. Theprocess of the present invention is usable on all Milliken brand carpetbases, is usable on PVC, non-PVC and cushioned bases, is usable inconnection with nylon 6 and nylon 6, 6 tufted or bonded carpet, isenvironmentally friendly and provides and economic plus due to the factthat as much as 80% of the final material cost of a textile product orcarpet product is in the formation of the original substrate. Further,the process of the present invention lets consumers know that thecarpet, carpet tile, or the like can be dealt with in the future,recycled, refurbished, and reused. Also, the process of the presentinvention does not require the used carpet to be ground up to berecycled and as such, reduces energy requirements.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 15 of the drawings and in accordance with thepresent invention, a new or refurbished carpet flooring, carpet, carpettile, or the like includes a tufted or bonded primary carpet, a cushionlayer, and a backing layer.

[0113] Alternatively, the flooring, carpet, carpet tile, or the like mayinclude a tufted (or bonded) primary carpet, a reinforcing layer, and abacking layer.

[0114] The process of the present invention is especially suited toadding a backing or coating layer to PVC carpet tile in order to producea new or refurbished PVC carpet tile product which does not suffer fromthe drawbacks of conventional PVC carpet tile, is environmentallyfriendly, and the like.

[0115] In accordance with one example of the present invention, thepreferred coating material is CTI-2779 produced by Chemical Technology,Inc. of Detroit, Mich. and which is a water-born yellow coating having agood block resistance and plasticizer, excellent water resistance, doesnot contain any volatile organic compounds (VOC), and withstands atleast 6 minutes direct impingement of low pressure steam.

[0116] Specification Data: Adhesive Base: Acrylic Color: yellow Solids:40-45% Viscosity: 3,000-5,000 cps Weight/gallon: 7.5-8.5 lbs pH:7.0-10.0 Freezing Sensitivity: Do not freeze

[0117] This coating material can be applied by roll coat, airless or airassisted spray equipment, or the like. Also, this material has apleasant odor, a slow evaporation rate, is stable, and is safe to use.

[0118] With respect to FIG. 16 and in accordance with another embodimentthe present invention, prior to washing and re-texturing, the pile faceyarn may be steam-bulked, and then chemically treated to achieve auniform color and appearance between individual tiles, higher productyields and to expand product capability. The present invention asdescribed below involves certain non-obvious and novel uses ofproprietary chemical and dyeing methods.

[0119] As will become apparent from the following description, thepresent invention recognizes and addresses at least some of thedisadvantages or problems with the prior refurbishment of carpet tile.The present invention makes improvements to U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,592,Method to Refurbish Carpet Tiles and U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,856, Apparatusto Refurbish Carpet Tile; assigned to Milliken Research Corporation,dated Jan. 17, 1995 and Oct. 17, 1995 respectively and herebyincorporated by reference.

[0120] Improved Method to Refurbish the Carpet Tile Face

[0121] The used carpet tile is steamed and the face yarns pre-bulkedprior to using the above mentioned methods and apparatus to clean andre-texture the yarns. After washing, the re-textured yarns arechemically treated by applying a cationic, water soluble, polymericorganic compound and dried in an oven to uniform moisture content. Afterdrying, the surface pile yarn is sheared to a uniform and level height,and the tile edges are trimmed or sheared to make the tile square. Apattern jet dye machine is used to apply new dye colors or pattern. Thetile is next steamed, washed and dried using conventional methods.Thereafter, the back of the title may be coated as described above.

[0122] Apparatus to Refurbish the Carpet Tile Face

[0123] In a preferred embodiment, the pile yarns are steamed in aconventional textile steamer. A non-contact applicator (Millium™) isused to apply an aqueous solution containing a cationic polyacrylamidecopolymer to the re-textured pile face yarns. After applying the aqueoussolution, the tile is dried in a conventional textile oven prior todyeing.

[0124] New dye colors are applied to the pre-treated tile using a jetinjection dyeing apparatus such as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,779hereby incorporated by reference. The dye is applied and the tile isthen passed through a conventional steamer where the dyes are fixed onthe pile fibers. After leaving the steam chamber, the tile is conveyedthrough a washer to remove excess dyeing chemicals, and next through aconventional forced hot air oven for drying and next to a back coaterand/or to a suitable delivery and take up means.

[0125] While various methods and apparatus for cleaning andreconditioning articles with pile fibers may be used, the preferredmethods and apparatus are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,592 and5,457,845. Also, by washing and re-texturing of the pile face yarns,carpet tile is reused, thereby to avoid the expense for the replacingused carpet with new carpet. The present methods and apparatus have beenshown to be effective in removing dirt and/or matting of pile face yarn,and thereby provide a means to refurbish used carpet tile.

[0126] In the past, refurbished carpet tile has not gained wideacceptance for use as a commercial floor covering. One drawback to theprior refurbished carpet tile is that visible differences in color andappearance often remained in the carpet tile after the refurbishmenttreatment. The yield of commercially acceptable product, tiles that areconsistent in color and appearance to each other, was often low.Depending on the age and condition of the used carpet tile prior totreatment, yields of acceptable product typically ranged from 20-40%.The low yield was a disadvantage and often too low to make the priorrefurbishment economics viable.

[0127] It is generally suggested that new dye color can be applied torefurbished carpet tile to overcome these differences in appearance andcolor. Refurbished carpet tile, otherwise cleaned and sheared, can beoverprinted and brightened. While this approach would result in a betterquality refurbished carpet tile and offer the advantages of higherproduct yields and lower cost, conventional or normal textile dyeingmethods fail to produce uniform dye colors and overcome this drawback.

[0128] A second drawback is the high cleaning pressure employed forcleaning the pile yarn may make the prior methods unpractical for manycarpet tile constructions found in today's commercial market. Inparticular, this is true for carpet tiles where woven primary substratesare used for tufting, a practice common in today's carpet industry. Theproblem occurs due to the high water pressure employed to clean andre-texture the pile yarn. The high pressure cleaning solution oftendisplaces pile yarn from the carpet tile or causes the face yarn toseparate from the tile backing. In particular, the tile edges are aproblem. The high pressure cleaning liquids often damage or permanentlydeform the edges of the tile. The above conditions cause the refurbishedtile to be unusable as commercial floor covering. In a practical sense,the drawback lies with the apparatus which supplies cleaning solutiondirected at the carpet tile at a pressure of at least 800-psig, whichstrictly limits the type carpet tile and weight of pile yarns suitablefor the prior refurbishment process.

[0129] Another disadvantage to prior refurbishment processes result fromrequirements imposed by the commercial carpet market trade. As such,used carpet tiles may raise general health and hygiene concerns whenused for commercial applications. The prior art provides no means tosanitize the carpet or otherwise treat the tile for microbial orbiological material; conditions common to used carpet tile. Aspreviously noted, the prior art does not provide a suitable method andapparatus to clean or otherwise recondition the back surface of the usedcarpet tile. This can also be a source of microbial and/or biologicalmaterials, and thereby also a concern.

[0130] Other disadvantages and drawbacks to prior art, as well asadvantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent inthe following disclosure.

[0131] It is one object of this invention to provide an improved processto refurbish used carpet tile. The particular object of improvement isto provide a method to overcome or at least address the prior artproblem where individual tiles have a different color and appearanceafter being refurbished, thereby making the carpet generally acceptablefor normal commercial use as a floor covering. In this respect, a secondobject of improvement is to provide a method and/or apparatus tosanitize used tile or otherwise chemically treat tile to eliminateactive microbial or other biological agents. Other objects ofimprovements are to provide a method and apparatus to refurbish carpettiles that are otherwise not practical using the prior art. Inparticular, carpet tile where the pile yarn is tufted into a wovenprimary. Other improvement and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description.

[0132] Reducing or Eliminating Differences in Color and AppearanceBetween Individual Tiles

[0133] As previously suggested a practical approach to overcome theproblem of differences in color and appearance between individualrefurbished tile is to apply new colors or patterns to the pile faceyarn. Textile materials and articles such as carpet tile have beenbrightened, patterned or otherwise colored using numerous processes,such as yarn dyeing, transfer or screen printing and jet dye machine,with good results. While such prior dyeing processes have met withsuccess, problems have nevertheless been encountered when attempting todye refurbished carpet tile.

[0134] One major reason for the above problem is that refurbished tilemay not uniformly accept dye solutions. The problem occurs when dyesolutions are applied to the refurbished pile yarn. The rates of dyeabsorption (uptake) for refurbished tile may differ between individualtiles and often for different areas within the same tile. As a result,dyestuffs may not be uniformly distributed through the pile yarn, andtherefore the pile face yarns dye to different apparent colors andshades of color, largely determined by the dye absorption rate. Again,there may be visible differences in color and appearance betweenindividual refurbished tiles.

[0135] It is now found that differences in pile yarn texture remain inthe carpet tile after the washing and re-texturing, and are one causefor the above-mentioned differing rates of dye absorption and reason forindividual refurbished tiles to dye to different color and appearances.Other contributing factors are related to chemicals that remain in thecarpet tile after treatment. The chemicals include common fluoropolymerdispersed compounds or stain blocking agents applied during the originaltile manufacturing process as carpet protectors, and various otherchemicals used to clean and maintain carpet tile through its lifecycle.

[0136] As described by T. McBride and T. Godfrey, “Process for PatternDyeing of Textile Material”, certain anionic and cationic compoundsapplied to textile materials form water-insoluble skins (in-situ) aroundindividual dye droplets dye solutions which contain other selectedanionic or compound. One object of present invention is to improve thesharpness of pattern color applied by a jet dye machine and otherwiseavoid the use of anti-migration agents that have restrictive uses fortextile dyeing.

[0137] It has been discovered that the rate of dye absorption (uptake)can be made uniform for refurbished tile by chemically pre-treating thetile prior to dyeing with a solution containing a cationicpolyacrylamide copolymer. The result is that when dye solutions,containing selected anion components, are applied to re-textured piles;the solution are absorbed at a uniform rate. Thereby, the dyestuff areuniformly distributed through the pile yarn and the carpet tile dyes tothe same color and appearance. It is believed that the same generalionic interactions described by McBride and Godfrey are also useful tocontrol the absorption rate, and therefore also provide a unique andnovel use for their methods, not contemplated in the originaldisclosure. In particular, this is true as it regards re-textured pileyarn and refurbished carpet tile. The same types of ionic interactioncontrol the adsorption rates for dye solutions applied to re-texturedtiles, and therefore provide a unique or novel use for this chemistry.

[0138] Steaming to Pre-Bulk Yarns Prior to Washing/Re-Texturing

[0139] Numerous textile processes use steam chambers or other steamapparatus to condition yarns and pile fabric, or for other purposesrelated to a textile process and product. As described by H. Muller andH. Gallagher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,577, Process for Treating Tufted PileFabrics, one use of a steam chamber is to erect pile yarn that has beenbent, matted or crushed during processing. In accordance with onetechnique, heating carpet in a steam chamber and through mechanicalbeating; the surface of textile materials such as carpeting, is improvedby eliminating pile yarn defects.

[0140] It has now been discovered that like-results can be achieved whenrefurbishing used carpet tile. Whereby the pile yarn of the carpet tileis heated in a steam chamber and thereafter a high pressure cleaningsolution is directed at the carpet tile to create a lifting force to thepile yarn, similar to the forces caused by mechanical beating. It isalso found that when this method is used with multiple cleaning devicesof the type previously described, it is possible to re-texture pile yarnand remove dirt and/ or matting at cleaning pressures in the range of100-400 psig, significantly lower than with the prior art. Inparticular, the method is useful to refurbish low pile weight carpettile and tufted carpet tiles wherein woven primary substrates are usedfor tufting (previously not practical using the prior art refurbishmentprocesses).

[0141] Chemical Treatment of Cleaning Solutions

[0142] As previously mentioned, used carpet tiles may raise generalhealth and hygiene concerns when reused for commercial applications.Notwithstanding the improvements previously described which providesanitation through steam treatment, it is found that the prior processcan be improved by including selected biocide and/or fungicide compoundsas components of the washing liquid. Thereby, including these agents ascomponents of cleaning liquid reduces the presence of active microbialor biological agent to a level equivalent to new carpet tile. In thepreferred embodiment, solution containing Glutaraldehyde (1,5Pentanedail) and/or 5-cloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one with2-methyl-4-isothiazonline-3-one are added to the wash solution for thispurpose.

[0143] The above described improvement provides the following benefitsand advantages:

[0144] 1. The improved method produces a carpet that can successfully bedyed to the same color and appearance. The carpet tile is generallyacceptable for commercial floor covering applications.

[0145] 2. The improved method results in higher product yield than theprior art. Yields of acceptable product are increased from the range of20-40% to a range of 75-95%.

[0146] 3. Pre-treatment of the tile prior to dyeing increases dye yield,thereby further improving the economics of the prior method.

[0147] 4. The improved method can successfully be used to refurbishcarpet tile construction not previously practical with the prior art.

[0148] 5. The improved method provides a refurbished carpet tileequivalent to new carpet in regards to active biological or microbialagents and/or materials.

[0149] 6. The improvements provide a method whereby carpet tile can berefurbished using lower pressure, and also provide additionalefficiencies and product capabilities.

[0150] 7. The improvements provide a method to produce tiles withessentially square edges.

[0151] Contemplated Variations or Alternatives

[0152] 1. The used carpet tile may be steamed or pre-bulked immediatelyafter washing and re-texturing, notwithstanding that this option is notpreferred.

[0153] 2. As concerns the chemical pre-treatment prior to dyeing, othercationic compounds as generally described in the referenced patent, maybe used to achieve similar results. Likewise, other chemical applicatormay be used to apply the cationic compound, notwithstanding that theoptimum results require the use of a non-contact applicator of the typethat disperses a fine or atomized spray.

[0154] 3. Other dyeing or pattern printing methods may be used to applynew dye colors and/or patterns, notwithstanding the optimum results areachieved through the use of a jet dye machine as previously described.

[0155] Average Tile Thickness (Inches) TOTAL PRODUCT YARN PILE PILEHEIGHT PRODUCT BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER % INCREASE Cut Pile 0.23750.3250 0.1125 0.2000 +77.8 Bonded Tufted Loop 0.2438 0.3000 0.11880.1750 +47.5 Pile

[0156] In practice, the process works well for products within the rangeof 0.2000-0.4250 inches tile thickness, which covers about 95%+ of thenormal thickness range for commercial carpet tiles. Also, the pile faceyarns may be chemically treated with reducing or oxidizing agents, suchas bleaching agents, to whiten the pile face prior to pattern jet dyeingor printing.

[0157] As has been herein described, a method and apparatus have beendescribed which will allow dirty and matted carpet tiles to berefurbished by the treatment of high pressure water and thereby increasethe service life of the carpet tiles, thereby eliminating the additionalexpense of purchasing new pile carpet tiles and/or rugs. It can readilybe seen that the herein-described invention provides an economic savingto the user of the described method and apparatus. Furthermore, sinceused carpet tiles are being refurbished rather than thrown away, thisinvention substantially reduces the amount of carpet and carpet tilesthat has to be treated in landfills and other areas of disposal, whichin turn helps save our environment.

[0158] The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described andmodifications of same may be made within the scope of the invention andit is therefore requested that the invention be limited by the scope ofthe claims.

1. A method to refurbish cut or loop pile carpet products such as acarpet tile comprising the steps of: providing a source of high pressurecleaning liquid, supplying a pile product to be cleaned under the sourceof cleaning liquid, projecting a stream of cleaning liquid against thepile product to clean dirt from the product, drying the product aftercleaning thereof, and applying a back coating to the back of the cleanedproduct.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cleaningliquid is projected against the pile product at a pressure in the rangeof 200-2000 psig.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein theliquid pressure is between about 300-800 psig.
 4. The method as recitedin claim 1, wherein the cleaned carpet tile is overprinted aftercleaning.
 5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cleanedcarpet tile is brightened after cleaning.
 6. The method as recited inclaim 1, wherein the pile product supplied is cut pile carpet tiles andthe twist in the yarn of the cut pile tile is untwisted and the cut pilecarpet tile is sheered to provide a uniform surface after cleaning. 7.The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cut pile carpet tile isobtained by cutting the loops of loop pile carpet tile.
 8. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein the pile product supplied is a PVC carpettile.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the backing is atleast one thin layer of a modified acrylic coating material. 10 Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises stepsof drying and cross linking of the coated cleaned carpet tile, and thencooling the coated cleaned carpet tile to ambient temperature.
 11. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating is at least one thinlayer, approximately 1.0-1.5 mm thick of a coating material whichprevents plasticizer migration.
 12. The method as recited in claim 1,wherein the coating step involves the application of a plurality of thinlayers of a modified acrylic coating material and providing a totalcoating thickness of approximately 2-3 mm with a total weight ofapproximately 1-1.5 oz/yd².
 13. A back coated refurbished carpet tileproduced by the process of claim
 1. 14. In a refurbished carpet tile,the improvement comprising a back coating of at least one thin layer ofa modified coating material which prevents plasticizer migration. 15.The carpet tile, as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one thin layeris approximately 1-3 mm thick with a total weight of approximately 1-1.5oz/yd².
 16. In a carpet tile, the improvement comprising a back coatingof at least one thin layer of a coating material which preventsplasticizer migration.
 17. The carpet tile, as recited in claim 16,wherein at least one thin layer is approximately 1-3 mm thick with atotal weight of approximately 1-1.5 oz/yd².
 18. A method of protecting aPVC carpet tile from plasticizer migration, comprising adding at leastone thin layer of a modified acrylic coating material to the back of thecarpet tile.
 19. In a cushioned back carpet tile, the improvementcomprising at least one thin layer of a modified acrylic coatingmaterial on the back of the carpet tile.
 20. In a hard back carpet tile,the improvement comprising at least one thin layer of a modified acryliccoating material on the back of the carpet tile.
 21. Apparatus torefurbish pile products comprising: a source of high pressure cleaningliquid, said source having a liquid dispensing outlet, means to convey apile product past the liquid dispensing outlet to clean dirt from thepile product, drying means down stream of the liquid dispensing outletto dry the pile product after it is cleaned, and coating meansdownstream of the drying means to apply at least one thin coating to theback of the cleaned and dried pile product.
 22. The apparatus as recitedin claim 21, further comprising: drying and cross linking meansdownstream of the coating means to dry and cross link the coated pileproduct.
 23. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, further comprising:dying means for printing or over printing the pile of the cleaned andcoated pile product.
 24. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, whereinthe pile product is carpet tiles with a cut pile, said cut pile havingtwisted yarn which is untwisted by the pressure of the liquid from saidnozzles, and further comprising shearing means receiving said cut pilewith untwisted yarns therein shearing the top thereof to provide auniform upper surface.
 25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, whereintreating means is located downstream of the shearing means to at leastone of dye and brighten the cut pile yarn of said carpet tile.
 26. Theapparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said conveying means is aconveyor.
 27. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said coatingmeans is a plurality of top roll applicators for applying a plurality ofthin layers.
 28. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, furthercomprising a cooling means downstream of the drying and cross linkingmeans to cool the temperature of carpet tile to ambient temperature. 29.In a method of refurbishing used carpet tiles, the improvementcomprising steam bulking and then chemically treating the carpet tileprior to washing and retexturing the pile face yarn to achieve a uniformcolor and appearance between individual carpet tiles when therefurbished carpet tiles are dyed.
 30. The method as recited in claim29, wherein the carpet tile is steamed and the face yarns prebulkedprior to chemically treating.
 31. The method as recited in claim 29,wherein said chemical treatment includes applying a cationic,water-soluble, polymeric organic compound.
 32. The method as recited inclaim 29, further comprising the steps of drying the prebulked andchemically treated carpet tile in an oven to uniform moisture content,shearing the surface pile yarn to a uniform and level height, trimmingthe tile edges to make the tile square, pattern jet dying to apply newdye colors or patterns, steaming, washing and drying the dyed carpettile.
 33. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the stepof coating the back of tile with a thin polymer coating prior to orfollowing pattern jet dying, steaming, washing, and drying of the carpettile.
 34. A refurbished carpet tile produced by the process of claim 29.35. In a refurbished carpet tile, the improvement comprising a uniformcolor and appearance between individual tiles, produced by steam bulkingand chemically treating the carpet tile prior to washing, retexturing,and dying the pile face yarn.
 36. A method of refurbishing cut or looppile carpet products such as carpet tile, comprising the steps of:steaming and prebulking face yarns of the pile carpet product, washingthe pile carpet product by projecting a stream of cleaning liquidagainst the face yarns of the pile carpet product to clean dirttherefrom the pile carpet product, chemically treating the face yarns ofthe pile carpet product by applying a cationic, water-soluble, polymericorganic compound, drying the pile carpet product in an oven to a uniformmoisture content, shearing the surface yarn of the face to a uniformlevel height, trimming the edges to make the pile carpet product square,pattern jet dyeing the pile carpet product to apply new dye colors orpattern, and then steaming, washing and drying the dyed pile carpetproduct.
 37. The method as recited in claim 36, further comprising thestep of coating the back of the pile carpet product with at least onethin layer of polymer coating.
 38. A refurbished pile carpet productproduced by the method of claim
 36. 39. In a method of refurbishing acarpet tile, the improvement comprising steaming and prebulking faceyarns of the carpet tile prior to washing.
 40. The method as recited inclaim 39, wherein washing is carried out with a washing liquid at about100-400 psig.
 41. In a method of refurbishing a carpet tile, theimprovement comprising chemically treating face yarns of the carpet tilebefore dyeing.
 42. In a method of refurbishing a carpet tile, theimprovement comprising treating face yarns of the carpet tile with atleast one of a biocide and fungicide.